Irving Blog

In bid for privacy, Irving mayor files for divorce using her initials

Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne filed for divorce from her husband of 17 years using only each spouse’s initials, court records indicate. Van Duyne said she used her initials “to maintain privacy” but declined to comment further Friday.

According to Dallas County court records, “EAV” filed for divorce from “CW” in May. The mayor’s legal name is Elizabeth Ann Van Duyne. Her husband is Christopher Wallach, who declined to comment Friday. The divorce filing lists the last three numbers of EAV’s Texas drivers license. The numbers match the last three digits of Van Duyne’s license, according to an online public records search.

The divorce filing says the marriage is dissolving due to “discord or conflict of personalities.” It says both parties expect to reach an amicable agreement on child custody and support and the division of the couple’s estate.

Dallas County District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons, whose office processes divorce filings, said judges in the county allow identification by initials only “from time to time.” He said a judge could require a change after the suit is filed, but that his office cannot reject a divorce filing because it only identifies the parties by their initials.

“We’re not the enforcers of any of those conventions,” he said.

Jack Sampson, a family lax expert and professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, said using initials instead of full names in family court matters is uncommon.